Commercial Water Softeners

The job of a commercial water softener is to extract calcium and magnesium from water and replace it for (exchange it for) either sodium from the softener salt or potassium from a salt substitute called potassium chloride. The medium used to do this is called ion exchange resin, resin, or synthetic zeolite. The medium is also reasonably effective in removing clear water (ferrous) iron, manganese, copper, radium, aluminum and some other trace metals.

The resin is made from two materials – styrene and divinylbenzine. This material is impervious to most chemicals, can be operated at temperatures up to 2120 F, pH from 1 to 14 and has a normal service life measured in decades if properly maintained. About the only thing that shortens the resin’s life are strong oxidizing agents such as chlorine or repeated freeze/thaw cycles. Removal of chlorine before a softener with activated carbon, KDF or a feed of sodium bisulfite will significantly enhance the resin life.

Once calcium and magnesium is exchanged for sodium or potassium through the softening process the water is referred to as softened water (not soft water which is nature’s water before it has dissolved minerals into it). Water before softening is called hard water. The level of hardness is usually expressed in grains per gallon as calcium bicarbonate. A grain weighs 65 milligrams. A grain per gallon can also be expressed as 17.1 milligrams per liter. For domestic purposes, a remaining hardness of 1 or 2 grains per gallon is acceptable, commercial applications normally require 1 grain or less and high temperature boilers will need 1 mg/l or less of residual hardness.

The math required to properly soften water for boiler applications is quite extensive and requires the results of a complete water analysis to properly calculate. The technical staff at Dime Water, Inc. is prepared to do all of the calculations and recommend the proper equipment.

For more information on water treatment for your home or business, click on one of the following topics:

Reverse Osmosis Overview, Residential Reverse Osmosis, Commercial Reverse Osmosis, Water Softener Overview, Commercial Water Softeners, Residential Water Softeners, Water Filter Overview, Backwashing Water Filters, Non-Chemical Water Conditioners, Aquafer Water Conditioner, Maxi-Cure Water Filter, Scale Prevention Devices, Ultra Violet Disinfection, High Purity Water, De-ionization, Specialty Water Filtration, Reverse Osmosis Repair, Commercial Water Softener Repair, Residential Water Troubleshooting, Commercial Water Troubleshooting.

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